WEDNESDAY l 3.13.19 OUR 69TH YEAR
CONTRA COSTA COLLEGE SAN PABLO, CALIF.
Clery Act establishes transparency By Michael Santone editor-in-chief
msantone.theadvocate@gmail.com
College campuses are supposed to be safe zones for obtaining knowledge, career building and blossoming friendships. However, college-age adults are at a higher risk for sexual assault. According to Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN), among undergraduate students, 23 percent of women and 5 percent of men experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence or incapacitation. If a rape or sexual assault were to happen at Contra Costa College, what is the process and procedures in which Lt. Holt it would be handled? “According to policy, if a rape occurred on campus, the process would begin with a criminal investigation by Police Services,” Dean of Student Services Dennis Franco said. “Student Services would support Police Services in their investigation and if the victim allowed their identity to be shared with campus officials, we would help the victim obtain counseling.” Franco said Student Services would provide resources for the victim either on campus through the Student Wellness Program, Confidential Student Assistance Program or through the community. In 1990, the Clery Act was signed into federal law requiring all colleges and universities that participate in federal financial aid programs to keep and disclose information about crime on and near their respective campuses. The law is named after Jeanne Clery, a 19-year-old Lehigh University student who was raped and murdered in her campus hall of residence by student Joseph Henry in 1986. Along with providing an annual
security report Oct. 1 of every year, the law requires the institution’s police to maintain a public log of all crimes reported to them. It also requires law enforcement officials to keep the most recent eight years of crime statistics either on campus, in institution residential facilities, in off-campus buildings or on public property. Crimes that must be reported include murder, sex offenses, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, motor vehicle thefts, arson and arrest. Aside from maintaining the crime log and reporting crime statistics, through the Clery Act, institutions are required to give timely warnings of crimes that represent a threat to the safety of students or employees. CCC Police Services Lt. Tom Holt said if a rape or sexual assault did happen on campus, procedures and policies would be implemented for the protection and safety of not only the victim, but the campus community as well. “We would most likely do a Regroup Broadcast, probably followed up by an email to inform the campus,” Lt. Holt said. “The report would also show up on the daily log and the public information officer would help with expanding the message if needed.” The Regroup Broadcast or campuswide alert system, which is used for emergencies like sexual assault, if verified as such, would immediately send a mass message via text or email to the campus community with the description of the suspect, time, date
ReGrouping The ReGroup Broadcast Alert System, which is used for emergencies like sexual assault, would immediately send a mass message via text or email to the campus community with the description of the suspect and time, date and location of the assault.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY DENIS PEREZ / THE ADVOCATE
SEE CLERY ACT, PAGE 3
‘FIGURE IT OUT, LEAD THE WAY’ Panel of judges share journey of gender equality By Fatima Carrasco advocate staff
fcarrasco.theadvocate@gmail.com
PLAY MIXES TECHNOLOGY, LOVE, TRUST WITH HUMOR Theater performance ties passion, cellphones PAGE 7 FACEBOOK: /accentadvocate
A panel of Superior Court judges and district attorneys from across California shared their experiences as women in law with an audience of women’s rights advocates in celebration of International Women’s Day in GE-225 on Friday. Superior Court Judge Tamila E. Ipema delivered a keynote speech about her experiences as an Iranian-born woman living in fear of affiliating with certain societal practices. “For the first 20 years of my life in Iran I lived in fear. I was afraid to speak my mind, afraid to associate with certain groups and afraid to read certain books banned by the (theocratic) government.” Ipema was chosen to speak because, like many women outside of this country, she has gone through life and death struggles that American women don’t experience. She said, “The price (of living) was too high — despair, torture and death. At a young age I promised myself that I would educate myself, be strong and have the courage to stand up for what’s right — for justice.” In her early 20s, a few months before the Iranian revolution of INSTAGRAM: @cccadvocate
Contra Costa College hosted one of the many events in celebration of International Women’s Day on Friday.
In Algeria, International Women’s Day was marked by an unprecedented number of women and men marching in cities.
In China, International Women’s Day is celebrated as Girls’ Day and is observed on March 7.
INFOGRAPHIC BY DENIS PEREZ, FATIMA CARRASCO / THE ADVOCATE
1979 she came to America in pursuit of higher education on a student visa. She then began an intense study of immigration and international refugee laws, and with this knowledge she acquired refugee status for her brother who is now in Canada. As the 60 people in attendance sat riveted to Ipema’s story, they TWITTER: @accentadvocate
were also learning the steps to bring immediate family members to the United States. “It took 12 years of my life to work hard to accomplish the settlement and the permanent residency for my immediate family.” Like many women, family is parallel to pursuing a career and more often than not for women, YOUTUBE: /accentadvocate
these goals tend to conflict, especially for women in law enforcement. Contra Costa Superior Court Judge Anita Santos, who served as an officer in the Concord Police Department in 1996, described the challenges women face while SEE WOMEN, PAGE 3
SNAPCHAT: @cccadv0cate